Show-case.



L. W. WELCH.

SHOW cAsE. APPLICATION FILED 212.10, 1912.` i 1,023,186. Patented Apr. 16,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. W. WELCH.

SHOW GASE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10,l 1912.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

hm 37 /W UNrrnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN W. WELCH, 0F GRAND RAQPIDS, MICHIGAN.

' ratenteanpr. 16,1912.

SHOW-CASE.

1,023,186, specification-o1 Leners raient.

` Application filed-'February 10, 1912. Serial No. 676,758.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, LYMAN W. WELCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at. Grand Rapids, Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Show-Cases, lof which the following is a specification. y U

This invent-ion relates to improvements in show cases.

The invention relates'particularly to that class of'show cases fordisplaying garments on racks, in which the racks are adapted to be withdrawn, or partially withdrawn, from the case and rotated to make the rack completely accessible.

This objects of this invention are, in a gen.- eral way, to provide an improved carriage and supporting and retaining means for the rack, and to provide improved guard means for protecting the glass of the show case from injury by a blow from the revolving rack.

Further objects and objects relating to economies of construction and operation will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention vby the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out lin the claims. 1 A structure which constitutes a preferre embodiment of my invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying.. drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure I is a longitudinal detail sectional elevation of one of my'improved show cases taken on a line corresponding to line 1 1 of Fig. II. Fig. II is a detail sectional 'plan view taken on a line corresponding to line 2 2 of Fig. I, the revolving rack being shown in full lines and its shifted position by dotted lines, and the carriage and certain of the devices and parts being indicated by dotted lines.` Fig. III is an enlarged detail sectional plan taken onv a line corresponding to line 3 3 of Figs. I and IV, the ioor joists being omitted. Fig. IV is an enlarged detail sectional elevation taken on a line corresponding to line 4- 4 of Figs. II and III. Fig. V is an enlarged detail sectional view, showing the guideways and ballraces, taken on a line corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig. III. Fig. VI is an erlarged detail. sectional view on a line cor` responding to-'line 6 6 of Fig. I, showing details of one of the guard rails.

In the drawing, all sectional views are taken looking in thedirection of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines, and

'similar numerals of reference refer to simithe ways 3 3 when they are opened. The

ioor 4 of the case is supported on endjoists 5 5 andA centrally disposed joists 6 6 spaced to form a recess 7 between the same. The door is vslotted at 8 transversely to the length of the case to permit the movement of the rack and carriage. p.

.The rack 9 consists of a pair of parallel carrying bars 10 1O joined by lcross arms 11 11 and provided with guards 12-12 at each end. The arms 11 11 are supported on posts 13 13, which are carried on oppositev ends of the base bar or arm 14. This rack is supported on the carriage 15 on which there is a fixedA upright shaft 16 .suitably secured therein, preferably by a -disposed a roller bearing 18. A thrust bearing is provided for the lower end of the sleeve 17 consisting of thrustrings 19 and 20, between which is disposed a.- ball retainer or carrier 21 within which are bearing balls 22, as clearly app'earsfrom IV.

A washer or plate 23 is secured to the upper end of the shaft 16 by screw 24, and prevents the upward movement of the sleeve 17 andl retains the parts effectively in position. A circular disk 25 is secured to the lower end of the sleeve 17 by a pair of oppositely disposed keys 26, retained by set screws 27, so that the same rotates therewith. The disk 25 is providedl with diametricallyopposite peripheral shaped notches 25 (see FigsfII, II'I and' IV.)

Disposed on the carriage 15. is a lever 28 pivoted on fulcrum pin 29, urged toward the disk 25' .by the springl. On the lever 28 is a roller` 30 disposed to engage the notches ingly in position, the particular relation of land serve as a guard stop therefor.

the parts to the rack clearly appearing vin Fig. III. The purpose is to retain the rack in' central position vwhen moving outJ and into the case, and'to prevent rotation when removing or hanging articles thereon.

Secured to the joists 6 6. vat each side of the recess 7 are guideways v32, retained in position by bolts 33 therethrough. The gnideways at each side are joined and properlyV spaced by the cross bars 32". Vertical bolts 33 extend through these parts and secure them to the joists 6 which are rabbeted to receive the same. Ball races 34 are formed insidevthese guideways, stop pins 32 being provided at the ends of these races. Onthe sides of the carriage l5 are also supported guide members 35 corresponding to the guideways 32, the same .being provided with ball races 36 and'being retained in position by screws 37, as clearly appears. in Fig. lV. 'Stop pins 35 are at the ends of these races. Balls 36 are in the said races and serve as a bearing means between .the guide members. 36 are provided for the said balls. It will thus be seen that the reciprocating carriage 15 is carried on ball bearings and moves very freely and easily. Also, that the 'display rack is supported-oliva roller bearing with a ball thrust beneath, and consequently runs very evenly, and owing to the length of the bearing rollers 18, the rack is very firmly supported and lyet revolves very freely and easily, except'when it is engaged by the 'rollers 30 on the spring levers- 28. When this 'occurs,'however, comparatively light pressure will overcome the resistance, yet the same' is retained with suliicient rigidity'to. serve its purpose so far as hang` ing any article to be displayed is concerned, and toinsure even carriage ofthe rack out and into the case.

The bar 14 vis supported at a little distance above the floor 4. vA shortoblique guard,

rail 40 is secured on the ioor 4, and is disposed toy the rear of each end ofl the'base bar 14, and at such height as to contact v'sith he guard rails rest on sleeves or thimbles 42 at each end and are securely bolted by'bolts 41 therethrough. The vertical bar or mullion 48 projects inward and the framework is of such dimension that the guard v12 engages this vertical bar before the correspending end of the base bar passes from the guard, and thus contact with glass or finished `part of the case Vis avoided. It will thus be seen that if the rack is left to reF volve freely, it will not be possible for the same to come in contact with the walls of the show case, thus endangering the glass, but the base bar will engage one or the othery of the guards 40 and swing the rack to the central position automatically, when the carriage is movedl into .the case.4 `This expe'- vbecause, I do not carev to claim Ball retainers and spacers .shaft speciically.

. broadly as dientwill very rarely-be brought into play for ,the reason thatyowing tothe anti-fricton bearings made use of, the structure will operate soeasilythat there will be no'oocasion for swinging the rackout of engagement with the retaining yroller 30 in an accidental manner. l f

-I have. described my improved show case in the form preferred by me. I `desire to state, however, that many of the details can be modified without departing from my in-y vention. y

While I have shown the entire framework on a short shaft 16, I am aware that this upright shaft can be lengthened and the same or substantially equivalent devices. be

made use of. When the vertical shaft is thus lengthened, the posts 13-13 will be correspondingly shortened, or theymay be omitted if the shaftl is made tall enough'.

This feature is so clear' that I have not attempted to make illustration of vthe same, the taller I desire toclaim the structure precisely as, I have shown it, and also to claim the same pointed out in the. appended claims.

4Having., thus described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by ILetl. In a show case of the yclass described, the combination of asuitable oblong case open at one side, a carriage', an oblong revo luble'rack within the case and corresponding thereto, 'and a vertical pivotal support for said .rack on :said carriage, a-base bar for said rack, a pair of-guardrails'disposed on said floor positioned to contact with the ends of said base bar and hold saidv rack out ofv contact with .the walls of vsaid case, -and a,

vcentral upright bar at the back'of said case disposed to engage the ends of said rack before the base bar swingsl outof engagement with'said guard rails', all coacting substanpialy as described and for the purpose speci-y l2. In a show case lofthe class described, the combination of a suitable oblong case open at onev side,"a carriage, an oblong revluble rack within the case and corresponding thereto, and a vertical pivotal supportI for said rack on said carriage, a base bar for said rack, and. a pair of guard rails 'dis-` posed on said ioor positioned to Contact with the ends .of said base bar and hold said rack out of contact with the walls of said case,

all coacting substantiallyv as described and for the purpose speciied.

3. In a show case of the class described,

the combination of a vsuitable case open at'` one side, suitable doors therefor, a revoluble rack -within the casecorresponding thereto, a base bar for said` rack, a carriage, transverse guide ways fory the saidv carriage whereby the same .ma-,y be reoiprooated, :t in

vertical pivot shaft Xed on said carriage,

a sleeve carried by the base ber of the said a yielding stop disposed to Contact with the -periphery of saiddisk and .engage the said notches to retain the display rack yieldingly y position, all eoaeting substantially as de'- scribed and for the purpose specled.

.In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two Witnesses.

LYMAN W. WELCH. [L ls] Witnesses:

LUELLA G. GREENFrELD, MARGARET L. GLASGOW.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissione of la'tents,

Washington, D. C. 

